Sticking to the Basics while Exploring Town Planning
Town planning has never been more important than at present. The Centre for Strategic & International Studies (CSIS) reports that Sub-Saharan Africa is estimated to be the fastest-growing urbanisation community globally. The numbers related to these statistics are predicted to double over the next quarter of a century, and South Africa is not exempt from this.
Metropolitan areas, cities and other expanding business hubs in South Africa are already experiencing population increases. The resultant pressure on infrastructure, resources and public services has required planners to re-evaluate urban migration factors and return to the basics of town planning.
Effective and Efficient Town Planning
Planners need to forecast predicted population growth patterns in a given area. The fundamental basics of town planning are considering the collated data, expecting the anticipated growth, and initiating early, proactive systems, plans and procedures to effectively accommodate them.
Efficient delivery of these planning necessities is achieved by managing land resources and coordinating with government departments, public-private partnerships, and other entities. The process includes taking capital investments, construction and development opportunities, and weighing them against socio-economic demands and commercial costs and benefits.
Public opinion is important in the completion of this process, and it remains fluid while taking development manifestos, political direction, and town policies into consideration. Overpopulation must be avoided whilst managing new and existing projects. This may result in poor sanitary conditions and health concerns and should be kept in mind while ensuring strategies are in place for future developments.
Improving Standards of Living
Planners need to manage land resources, account for adequate land distribution and be considerate of areas available to the public. For effective human development, there should be an equal and corresponding improvement to the population’s standard of living. An increase in GDP does not necessarily equate to the populace’s improvement in their quality of life. Public services such as optimal health care, law enforcement, and emergency and utility services need to be increased proportionately.
Addressing the Community’s Economy
To ensure a well-rounded populace, planners need to increase accessibility to and from the area. They are required to improve the road infrastructure and provide for public transport and other facilities. The surrounding farming communities need to provide sustenance to the population with surplus produce. This symbiotic relationship between the areas positively affects economic growth, and productivity and increases employment opportunities, effectively lowering inflation.
The Need for Planners to Return to Basics
If CSIS predictions for urban migrations are accurate, to ensure that these populations thrive, town planning needs to be implemented urgently. A community with concerns about urbanisation should consider consulting with proficient professionals, The Practice Group. Going back to basics for the benefit of a nation. Contact us for more information.
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